CAF 2014: Kanso Audio Furniture wants to be your beast of burden

Aaron Hoffman's Kanso Audio Furniture may well be the most high-tech audio racks out there. They're also kind of stealthy.
You wouldn't notice, for example, that each shelf is a laminate of several different materials, "chosen for their levels of hardness, density and anti-resonance characteristics" with elastomers used between the layers. Anodized aluminum sandwiches the layers. Icing on the cake? The shelf can then sport a top layer veneer, you know, in case you want to bling it up a bit. The resulting shelf weighs approximately as much as a battleship. Ta da.
The options available are about what you'd expect from a fully custom production schedule -- if you can dream it up, Aaron can make it. Wanna match the sides and top? No problem. Wanna match the shelves to your speakers? No problem. Wanna system that can support your 120" 4k TV and three 200lb amplifiers? Ask and it's yours.

Prices are pretty much in line with the level of materials and finish (i.e., not inexpensive). Again, this is hand-made furniture, not some mass-produced labor-abused slap-dash plank, so set your expectations accordingly.

I have not yet had the pleasure of experiencing this stuff in my man cave, but I’m seriously considering it. I really like the “natural” walnut finish on the pieces up in the Rollo Audio room (photos at the bottom), but for those of you into the fanciful extremes, ask Aaron about “mappa burl”.

Last bit — these shelves are not only well-thought-out and stoutly made, they’re robustly useful. Check out the top photo, above. This is Aaron resting, after a rather tiring day lugging almost a thousand pounds (!) of shelving into the hotel, sipping a beer and copping a squat on a freely dangling shelf. And yes, he’s really sitting on that thing. Testimonial!

Audio racks, amp stands, and wall-mounted turntable shelves are all part of the portfolio.

Shown here with a VPI turntable and Belles Audio electronics, just for the hell of it.

Thanks to all you guys for your kind words.
I try to combine real science and aesthetics into my designs. I hope I have accomplished that. In fact, I think I have accomplished that.
Kanso is one of the main principles of Zen; basically it’s “elegance in simplicity”. My ultimate goal is to live my life that way…getting closer…LOL.
Aaron
Kanso Audio Furntiure

Who doesn’t love American cottage industries like this? Wow! Lovely! The closest thing to a Thorell F.V. Signature arch top guitar in the realm of high end audio furniture. Good on him! (Call me if you are interested in a new Thorell guitar, BTW…)